I want to do a quick rehash of what I sent last month concerning Windows 10.  We still recommend to our Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 users that they take advantage of the free upgrade to Windows 10.  For our Windows 7 users, we recommend staying with Windows 7.  My reasons for staying are:

1. Don’t fix something that isn’t broken.

2. I’m getting older and crankier and I’m tired of relearning how to operate my computer.  (And, yes, I know, I’m a computer person, I’m never supposed to say that!)

3. The Windows 7 to Windows 10 upgrades have been problematic, they are still working out the bugs. And as much as I enjoy helping the cause, I’m not so enthused about helping when it costs hours of aggravation and frustration to fix something that was originally working just fine.

With that being said, you might be interested in knowing Microsoft has a goal to get Windows 10 onto 10 billion (that’s billion with a “B”) by 2018.  In their attempt to do so, they will be changing Windows 10 status from a free upgrade to a Recommended Update.  Initial scuttlebutt says that change will happen “early next year”.  The official effective date hasn’t been announced yet. 

If you are a Windows 7 user and you want to avoid the automatic update to Windows 10, then you will need to change the settings of your automatic updates.  The settings are found on the control panel.  To get there, click on the Start Button and then choose Control Panel from the right menu pane.  The control panel can be viewed as categories or icons.  I’m old fashioned and resistant to change (as noted above) so I prefer to use the Icon view.  You can change to Large Icons or Small Icons by clicking on the link in the top right corner of the control panel.  Once in Icon View you will find Windows Updates at the bottom of the window.  Click It.  In the left hand pane click the option to change settings.  In the section labeled recommended updates, remove the check mark and then click OK at the bottom.  You’re all done.  Windows 10 won’t show up without an invitation.

The cyber criminals are out in force this season, so remember to look before you click on any link.  And because it made me smile: I think this is the audition for Santa’s Reindeer.  You can see more animal photo bombs at: http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/18-giggle-inducing-animal-photobombs.

Have a very Merry Christmas,

~Janet